Motor-cycle frame.



G. 0. HBDSTROM. MOTOR CYCLE FRAME AP PLIUATION FILED APR. 2; i909.

Patented Aug. 31; 1909.

ATTORNEY.

I 0. o. HEDS T ROM MOTOR CYCLE FRAME. 'APPLIOATION rnlnn APR. 2, 1909;

' Patented Aug. 31, 1909.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 1 ATTORNEY.

i To all whom it may concern:

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

a cam. oi Hans'r'noia; or SPRINGFIELD, nassacnnsn'r'rsl Mo tronfznzcnnf FRAME.

Be it known that I, CARL O. Hrins'r'nonr, a citizen of the United States of America, re-

siding at Springfield, in the countyofHampden and State of Massachusetts, have invented 1 new and useful Improvements in Motor-Cycle Frames, of which thefollowing is 'aspecification.

J This invent-ion relates to improvements in motor vehicleframes and particularlyto the frames employed in motorcycles struct such a frame, and especially the joint The object-of the invention is to so conportionthereof that connects the brace-bars to the steering head and crank hanger ele- "ments oft-he frame that it-will be more rigidly made than those no-win common practice,; it being understood that the general outline of theframe is of the usual dlamond shape.

It has been determined by actual use aud experiments that'the frames as now constructed in this class of. vehicles are not stron enough to properly withstand the combmed weightof the rider and the ropelling motor; such excessiveweight pro 11c.-

..an d the lon ing more orless-deflection or bending of the various'partsof the frame; and when thevehicle is driven at a high rate ofspeed this deflection, combined with the weight and the high speed, produces a vibratorymotion that sooner or later causes the frame to break or give way in or near the joint connection of the steering-head and crank-hanger parts of the frame. I r

Broadly stated, the invention 'consists in strengthening or reinforcing the frame by the use of a longitudinally arranged plate in the various tubes or brace members, which plate is brazed into supplemental stubs or short pieces of tubing that accurately fit the whereby when interior of the outer tubes, the whole structure is brazed together, these longitudinal ribs or plates serveto greatly strengthen the frame, both as to longitudinal and transverse strains.

In the drawings forming part-.of this application,,Figure 1 is a detailed PIERVlEW. the frame showing stub portion in place of the steering-head of the integral tubular .or and also showing the outer tube removed, itudmal slits in thestub for receiving the; racingrplata, Fig. .2 is a longiview 'on the line 2-2, Fig.1, through the steering-head and the upper brace-bar of the frame; also show- .frame in a bath of molten jtions of brazing serves to greatly lower tubular members .i ing a portion of the lower brace-bar and themanner of attaching the plate to the steering-head member. Fig. 3 is a-deta1l longltudinal sectional view through the axis of I Specification otLett ers'Patent. Patented Aug. 31, 1909. T Application filed April 2 1909. serialize. 487,462.

one. of the brace-bars' illiistrating the brac=- Fig.2, this 'view clearly showing the mancured to the inner tubular stub. Fig. 5 is a general view of the motor cycle frame showing the upper brace bar and the lower or forward brace-bar in section, andthe' stiffening plate or brace 1n place.

Referring to the drawings in detail, a designates the tubular forged portion of the steering-head proper, to which the upper and lower tubular member band 0 are seber a:

d designates an integral thickened tubular portion of the forging a that is extended so as'to form the stub or arm member e to which the tube 6 is secured. This stub member is longitudinally slitted in the axial plane thereof in both its upper and'lower portions, as shown at g and h in Fig. 1.

i designates a stiffening plate member that is vertically located in a plane passing through the axis of the tubular members b and o. This plate enters the slits g and h of cured by means of the short tubular memthe stub member e, as shownin Figs. 2 and 3. I,

tion

ing web" or. plate in posit-ion. Fig. 4 isa transverse sectlonal' view on the line 44,

'Itshould be stated that the tubular mem- 7 her 0', although shown in outline in Fig. 2, is internally constructed the same as the tubular member I) which is shown in section. The plate 73 is inserted in the tubular members I) and a by slightly compressing the sides of the members in a transverse direction,.after which'the whole is brazed together in the usual manner, that is, by immersing. the, spelter. This construction, wherein thebraclng plate 5 is rigidly secured to theupper and lower por-' the tubular members b and a, by strengthen the entlre frameand. especial y the steering-head portion thereof.

It will be readily seen that the upper and b and wil resist longitudinal and transverse strains to a greater extent, before giving. way, than if these plates, were omitted. On ac count of I stub e and'the' slits weight to the frame ing-head. a of the. frame. the bracing platesz',

the somewhat lengthened dimensions of theg and h, therein, and into which the plates 7) are secured by brazing, it is evident that the tubular brace members 7) and c are securely connected to the steer- The insertion of while greatly increasing frame, adds very little as a whole.

A particular feature of my invention upon which thenoveltydepends is in the'very rigid manner of connecting the brace-bars to the steering-head or to the crank-hanger withoutany dangerof the brace-bars breale mg or coming apart at these connecting points. A further important feature of my invention consists in extending the brace plate 2' from the steering-head tothe saddlepost inthe-upper tube or bar I) of the frame, and in extending the brace-plate z' from the the strength of the steering-head to. the crank-hanger casing m.

It is understood that the employed for connecting the brace-plate in the saddle-post n and crank-hanger parts of the frame as are employed in connecting the brace-plate to the steering-head, which is clearly shown in Figs. '1, 2, and 3, and as already explained in connection with these figures. The brace-plate i is brazed throughing tubular members tially in the plane of the lower edges to the slitted for a a brace member enga out its length by means of its upper'and tubular portions 6 and c of the frame.

What I claim, is l. A vehicle-frame construction includ ing tubular members a stub element provided with longitudinal slits therein, and a bracing plate located in the slits of the stub.

.52. A vehicle-frame construction-includand a stEIb element pro vided with longitudinal slits therein, and a bracing plate'located in the slits ofthe stub, said. bracing plate being arranged? substanaxis of the tubes.

3. A motor vehicle frame including a steering-head element and a member integral therewith and provided with a slitted portion and having an opening therethrough, a tubular bar adapted to be secured to said slitted portion, a bracing late provided with a reduced end portion fdr entering the opening in the slitted portion and also the.

slitted portionof the stub member, said plate being secured in position by brazing.

4 As an improvement in vehicle frames in combination with the steering-head portion of the frame, a tubular elementhavin av hollow arm portion integral therewith and portion of its length, a tubular ing the arm portion, a

plate member locate within the brace mem- SEIIDG 11183118- are her and engaging the slitted portion of the whereby when the plate-member is brazed to the brace member and said slotted arm,

slotted arm, the tubular brace member will be secured to thesteering portion of the frame.

5. The combination with the steeringhead, saddle-post, and crank-hanger of a motor vehicle frame, brace-plates connecting said head, post, and hanger members, and means for attaching the brace-plates to said members, the attaching means including slitted tubular stub-members having integral, portions, extending into the head, saddle, and hanger members for receiving the ends of the brace-plates, substantially as described. 1

v6. A motor-vehicle frame having in combination with the steering-head and saddlepost thereof, a brace-plate connecting said head and post, and means, including a slotted tubular stub-member for attaching the brace-plate to the head and post, substantially as described.

-7. The combination with the' steeringhead of a motor vehicle frame. a tubular member a having an integral slotted stubmember e, and a brace-plate z entering sald slotted portion of said-stub-member, substantially as described.

8. The combination With the tubular members connecting the steeringhead, saddlepost, and crank-hanger of a motor-vehicle frame, brace plates connecting said head, post, and hanger members, and arranged in a vertical plane, said plates being brazed throughout their length to said tubular members, substantially as descr1bed.

9. The combination, in a motor veh cle frame, with the steering-head thereof, a member a having a slotted tubular portion e, integral with said member, a brace-plate engaging the slotted tubular portion, and a tube member inclosing the brace-plate and the slotted tubular being secured to the tube tially as described.

10. The combination with a tubular frame structure having a steering-head, saddlepost, and crank -'hanger portion, a slotted tubular member connected to said head, post, andhanger members, bracelates extending between the said slotted tu ular members, and means for securing the same thereto, substantially as described.

- CARLO. HEDSTROM.

' Witnesses: i

K. I. Cannons, H. W. BowEN.

portion, the brace-plate 1'05 member, substan- 

